Presidential Elections
-The Presidential Elections of 1856 was an unusually heated election campaign, due mostly to the debate over slavery, that led to the election of James Buchanan, the ambassador to the United Kingdom
-The presidential-elects were all afraid to take firm stances on slavery, since they would risk losing support, however at the same time they were ready to choose a side if it meant winning; shows how big of an issue slavery was during the decade
-One week prior to James Buchanan's inaugural address, he sent a letter to Judge Taney, who replied with the result of the case, which Buchanan used in his address
Republican candidate John C. Frémont condemned the Kansas-Nebraska Act, and crusaded against the Slave Power and the expansion of slavery, some quotes he used in his campaign are:
-"My purpose was to get leave to bring my party into the settlements in order to outfit and to obtain the supplies that had now become necessary. "
-"and whether it will arbitrate, or whether it will fight. The time has come for decisive action; this is a war measure, and as such I make it. I have been given full power to crush rebellion in this department, and I will bring the penalties of rebellion home to every man found striving against the Union."
-"Free speech, free press, free soil, free men, Frémont, and victory"
-The democratic candidate James Buchanan was pro-slavery, supported the expansion of slavery, and despised the northerners anti-slavery spirit, some quotes he campaigned with are:
"I like the noise of democracy"
"If you are as happy in entering the White House as I shall feel on returning to Wheatland, you are a happy man indeed. "
"The test of leadership is not to put greatness into humanity, but to elicit it, for the greatness is already there. "
"To avoid entangling alliances has been a maxim of our policy ever since the days of Washington, and its wisdom no one will attempt to dispute."
"What is right and what is practicable are two different things. "
-The presidential-elects were all afraid to take firm stances on slavery, since they would risk losing support, however at the same time they were ready to choose a side if it meant winning; shows how big of an issue slavery was during the decade
-One week prior to James Buchanan's inaugural address, he sent a letter to Judge Taney, who replied with the result of the case, which Buchanan used in his address
Republican candidate John C. Frémont condemned the Kansas-Nebraska Act, and crusaded against the Slave Power and the expansion of slavery, some quotes he used in his campaign are:
-"My purpose was to get leave to bring my party into the settlements in order to outfit and to obtain the supplies that had now become necessary. "
-"and whether it will arbitrate, or whether it will fight. The time has come for decisive action; this is a war measure, and as such I make it. I have been given full power to crush rebellion in this department, and I will bring the penalties of rebellion home to every man found striving against the Union."
-"Free speech, free press, free soil, free men, Frémont, and victory"
-The democratic candidate James Buchanan was pro-slavery, supported the expansion of slavery, and despised the northerners anti-slavery spirit, some quotes he campaigned with are:
"I like the noise of democracy"
"If you are as happy in entering the White House as I shall feel on returning to Wheatland, you are a happy man indeed. "
"The test of leadership is not to put greatness into humanity, but to elicit it, for the greatness is already there. "
"To avoid entangling alliances has been a maxim of our policy ever since the days of Washington, and its wisdom no one will attempt to dispute."
"What is right and what is practicable are two different things. "
Buchanan/Breckinridge campaign poster
Frémont/Dayton campaign poster